The teaching component of the NSL seeks to impart the knowledge and skills needed to develop the standard strengths of spatial planning and their interaction as well as the ability to develop strategies for the solution of spatial problems. These are central prerequisites for a responsible and successful exercise of planning functions in the service of the public commonwealth and of private companies.
Especially important in fufilling these prerequisites is the quality of university-level education: graduate and post-graduate work as well as professional development in spatial, urban and landscape planning. The ETH Zurich has offered programmes such as continuing education courses and post-graduate programmes (NDS, now MAS) since 1965. The NSL (Network City and Landscape) is responsible for these courses and programmes.

Design an Application of a Travel Survey for European Long-distance Trips Based on an International Network of Expertise

Within the fifth Framework Programme, the European Commission, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, has started a project on long-distance passenger mobility in co-operation with an international consortium of firms and research organisations.

Passenger transport statistics at an European level are needed to support the Common Transport Policy – yet, there does not exist a high quality database at the European level. Therefore DATELINE will develop a total survey design for an European travel survey of long-distance mobility which can be implemented in an uniform way in all Member States of the European Union. This survey will be implemented in all Member States. The results will create a valid database, that will produce indicators for long-distance travelling and will allow comparisons between the European countries. This database will also be usable in a national context and within the EUROSTAT statistical programme and could provide answers to planning-related questions and an input for analysis.
The idea of DATELINE is to provide a survey system which can be used in each country on a national level. This will ensure international comparability. On behalf of the European Com-mission we, the DATELINE project group, want to co-operate with the national institutions and organisations that are in charge of planning and monitoring long-distance mobility in every Member State (such as the Ministries of Transport or the Statistical Offices and Institutes).